Highway crossing signal for railways



Oct. 11, 1938,

H. A. HAINES HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS Filed June 12, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR:

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Oct. 11, 1938. H. A. HAINES HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL; FOR RAILWAYS Filed Julie 12, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I IH WI TNESSES INVENTOR mime H. fiazmss BY ORNEYS.

Oct. 11, 1938. H. A. HAINES 2,133,172

HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS Filed June 12, 1956 I 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 i pq WITNESSES: I E INVENTORL a, M Han/e5; H flax/ma; 5 BY TTORN E YS Oct. 11, 1938. H. A. HAINES HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL FOR iiAILWAYS Filed June 12, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 fines lA/VENTOR: Harv 5; .11 m BY Oct. 11, 1938. V H. A. HAINES 2,133,172

HIGHWAY CROSSING SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS PIC? AT SIG/VAL OPERATING TIME lN SECONDS 8- g 3 g 63 u 3O 35 4O 45 5O 66 70 8O 9O TkmN SPEED l Y MIL-E5 PER HOUR FIG- 1Y1 3300 Ft. 2460 Ft. I 750 Ft;

WITNESSES I INVENTOR imrvzy H ifiunzg Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES HIGHWAY CROSSI BAILW NG SIGNAL FOR' AYS' Harvey A. 'Haines, Philadelphia, Pa, asslgnor to The Union Switch .& Signal Company, Swiss-- vale, Pa., 'a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application June 12, 1sse.seria1.no...s4,ass

13 Claims.

My invention relates to highway crossingsignals for railways and particularly to wm-eans controlled by :a train approaching the highway "for delaying the operation of the signal according to "the speed. of the train, the delay varyingin versely with the train speed.

The problem of controlling the operation of a highway signal at a railway crossing according to the speed of an approaching train 180' that so the signal operates for substantially the same period for diilerent train speeds hasbeen the object of much inventive efiort. IElectro-mechan'ical means have been provided and intricate wiring systems have been suggested "in the art. But there is still a need for a simple. reliable and positively'operating device of this character, which can safely be depended upon. Obviously a wayside signal which :occasionallyrails is :a greater menace than none at all.

Therefore one object of my invention issime 'plicity and the avoidance of less dependable mechanical elements. Another object is a positive operation of the signal which is not affecteduby .a failure of the delay apparatus other: than to :5 increase the operating interval of the :signal for slow trains. Still further objects andadvantages of my invention will become vapparent:from the embodiments thereof which are described below with reference to the appended drawings.

01 the drawings, Fig. I shows diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention in which the delay feature is controlled by .a trackinstmment actuated :by the presence of .a train.

Figs. II, 'IV, V and VI all" relates to the -35 embodiment of Fig. I, showing the difterent stages of operation of the device.

Fig. VII shows diagrammatically a second embodiment of my invention in which the track instrument is replaced by a relay control.

Fig. VIII shows diagrammatically a third em"- :bodiment of my invention in which-the electrical wiring of the relay control of the delay featlne (of Fig. II) has been simplified.

Fig. IX is a graph showing the relation be- 45 tween different train speeds and corresponding operating periods of the signal.

Fig. X is a graph showing the positions of trains running at di-iierent speeds in the track block of the system when the signal will be so started in operation, and indicating in seconds the operating periods of the signal.

In Figs. I-VIII, I and 2 designates track rails of a railway; 3 a highway crossing and 4 a. Sig--v nal or other automatic device provided tor the .55 protection of trafiic on the highway.- Inacthree embodiments.

ling relay .9. in which battery 8-is connected with 1 condanoe with-my invention, operating block '5 of approximately. .3300 feet I in length is insulated .at each end .B and 1 C. by insulation .28 .from the rest of the track, the highway-crossing 3 being in saidblock 5-near thesend Cirom trams depart from the block .5. The entrance end-oi the? block .5 is designated at .B, a fixed poin-tat which the. presence .of a train willposltiyely start the. operation of. signal 4 unless delayod. A timing stretch I in advance of the block '9 5..is-determined by a .track instrument 6, posi- -tioned .at point -A, approximately 325 ma n advance of. point B, which is the departure end of the timing stretch 1 as well as the entrance end .ofblock-i. 'Ifhis tracki-nstrument may be u any oithewell known types now available- The lengthsof the timing stretch land of. operating blocki obviously may be varied .and the timing .OftlhBnCOHiflGtSfi-Il selection relay .12 and in delay relays I8, 19 and 20 may be varied according 20 to requirements, aswil-lappeartfrom the descrip- .tion below of the-operation of the device.

The three embodiments will now be taken up separately and in order, beginning'with thatof Fig.1. vFor-thepurposes of this detailed .description; thesignaloperating system proper will be to some extentseparated .from the delay apparatusqthe former being described in .detail first. 'Ilhe signal operating system is so designed that it is :a complete-operating unit whose operation 39 is :merely delayed by the delay apparatus 'which does not aotherwiseraffect the signal operating system in case of 1a railure of the delayapparatus. This applies to the-detailed descripton of all The signal operating system is made up of a battery 8' :connectedto rails I and 2--of the block 5, at-rack relay 9' connected to block 5 in series with battery 28 and having .a normally closed contact -l.-|,-, a normally energized signal relay 40 24' controlled by contact-ll and having a normally open contact .25 which operates. the signal 4 when closed and a battery 26 for operating signal 4. The signal relay 24 is of-the slow releasing typahaying a retardation inreleasing 5 of approximately one second after its control circuit is open. fI'heshunting of track relay 9 by the presence or .a train-in block 5 thuspositivelgy operates .signal 4 unless delayed.

To trace these circuits: The clrcuit controltherails .l and .2 of block 5, is obvious from, the drawings and needs nofurther attention. The presence of a. train .in block 5 shunts relay .9 and opensv normally closed contact .ll, closing 26 which is connected to the other side of con.-

tact 25 by wire 34. It will thus be seen that the presence of a train on block 5' will open contact 4; and the departure of the train from block -5 again closes contact opening contact 25 which stops the operation of signal 4.

I now turn to the delay apparatus which is controlled in its operation according to the speed of an approaching train over timing stretch 1? and which may intervene in the operation of signal 4 to provide a delay period for slower trains. The operation of the delay apparatus is started by the track instrument 6 which is in a timing circuit including a battery 21 and selection relay I2. To trace this circuit: the track instrument 6 is connected to the battery 21 by wire 29 and to the selection relay I2 by wires 39, 3| and 32; the selection relay I2 is connected to the battery 27 by wire 33. The wire 30 includes a normally closed contact I opened by track relay 9 ondeenergization to'break this timing circuit when the train passes point B and enters block 5. Contact I3 operated by selection relay I2 has a quick make witha 90-second break period and its purpose is to open the timing circuit after the elapsing of a period greater than would be consumed by the passage of a slow train over the timing stretch I preparing for further operation of the device. This takes care of situations where a train stops on the timing stretch I or enters and then backs off it.

Because the track instrument 6 is but momentary in operation, contact I4 is interposed in the circuit 34, 35, '30, 3|, 32, 33 and battery 26 to create a sustaining parallel circuit for relay I2 independent of battery 21. This sustaining circuit continues the operation of the selection relay I2 until the train enters the. operating block 5 on leaving timing stretch "I. This track instrument 6 and the sustaining circuit could be replaced by a relay circuit connected'to timing stretch I which should then 'be insulated like operating block 5. This modification would then energize relay I2 all during the period inwhich a train is present in timing stretch 1 without the need of a separate sustaining circuit. This modification is shown in Fig. VII, relay 41 with its associated circuits replacing track instrument 6 in Fig. I. Of course in cases where the track cannot be'broken into a separate insulated timing stretch I because of other considerations, the device of Fig. I should be used. A further simplification of the device of Fig. VII isshown in Fig. VIII dispensing with line wires 5| and 56 of Fig. VII, described in detail below.

The selection relay I2, which is energized by the above circuits during the period occupied by a train in traversing the timing'stretch- 'I, has three contacts I 5, I6 and I I. These contacts I5, I6 and I1 are of 'thequick break type with delayed make periods of 4, 6 and seconds respectively. These contacts I5, I6 and I! control the energization of delay relays I8, I9 and 29 respectively. To trace these circuitsz the battery 26 with wires 33 and 34 may be regarded as a common energizing circuit across which each relay I8, I9 and 26 is connected in series with its associated contacts I5, I6 and I7. Contact I5 is connected to relay I8 by wire 39, contact I6 to relay I9 by wire 4|, and contact I! to relay 20 by wire 43. The current thus flows from battery 26, over vwire 34, through wires 39, 4| and 43 when contacts I5, l6 and I 7 are closed, energizing coils of relays I8, -|9 and 26 respectively, then through wire 33 and back to battery 26. When the relay I2 is energized, the contacts I5,

I6 and I'I'make one after another according to II, which will close contact 25, operating signal their delay intervals, energizing their respective delay relays I8, I9 and 20 in. the same order until the train leaves the timing stretch I when those of contacts I5, I6 and I! which were closed are again opened.

1 These delay relays I8, I9 and 20 have contacts 2|, .22 and 23 respectively. These contacts are open when the relay coils are de-energized. They remain open when the relay coils are energized and then on the de-energization of the coils contact 2| closes for seconds, contact 22 closes for 35 seconds and contact 23 closes for80gseconds. This action requires that the relays must return to their de-energized position for the delay periods to function thereby insuring positive operation of the contacts in the delay relays.

' These delay relays and selection relay I2 with contacts I3, I4, I5, I6 and I! may be of the mercury contact plunger type, shown in U. S. Patent Nos. 1,967,247; 1,967,942; 1,967,944; 1,967,946; 1,967,947; 1,967,949; and 1,967,950 all granted to Carl H. Larson. The other relays may be of a type usually provided in railway signal systems.

The contacts 2|, 22 and 23 are connected in parallel with each other and in series with battery 26 and relay 24 so that the closure of any contacts 2|,"22 and 23 will keep signal relay 24 energized and thus delay the operation of signal 4 until all of the contacts 2|, 22 and 23 are open. These contacts are also in parallel withcontact II which ordinarily starts signal 4 into operation by opening as the train enters block 5. To trace these circuits: current flows from battery 26 over wire 34 to contacts 2!, 22, 23 and II, throughwires 40,36 and 31, through relay 24 to wire 33 and back to battery 26. It is clear that the operation of signal 4 would be controlled completely by contact II unless contact II be shunted by the closing of any of contacts 2|, 22 or 23. Thus the delay in the opening of contacts 2|, 22 and 23 determines the delay in the operation of the signal 4. 'In the case of a fast train, one doing better than 56 M. P. H., contacts I5, I6 and" do not have time to make during-the period the train takes to traverse the timing stretch"! and consequently the delay relays I8, I9 and 26 never operate, the signal 4 starting its undelayed operation at once as the train passes point B; If the train takes more than 4 seconds to traverse the timing stretch land less than 6 seconds, only contact I5 has time to close and energize the coil of delay relay I8. On passing point B, the train de-energizes relay I8 and contact 2| closes for 15 seconds delaying the operation of signal 4 for that period. The operation of contacts I6 and I1 and delay relays I9 and 26- 'is'the'sarne as that of contact I5 and delay relay figures of the drawings. In; enteringthetiming stretch I (Fig. 11) the trackinstrumentb will be momentarily actuated andithe circuit irrwhich iiis interposed will be closed through the battery 2'1, with attendant energization. oiztheselection relay l2 and instantaneous closingof the. contact l4, and the establishment of the auxiliary circuit previously described to keep'the. relay l2 energized. I Now if the train Tisproceeding upwards of 56 m. p. h. the 325. ft. timing stretch will be traversed in less than. four seconds. so that none of the contacts 15,: It, Hot the selection relay l2 will be closed Whenxthe train T en.- ters the block 5. Immediately uponentry of the train T into the block 5- (Fig-. III), the battery 8 will be short. circuited. and; the track; relay- 5 de-energized, allowing the corrects-I 9: and llv tosimultaneously open instantly with resultant de-' energization of the signal relay 24' and-iclosing of the contact 25 to complete thecircuit'through he battery 25 and the signal; 4 which thus starts operating immediately and remains in operation while the train T is traversing. the 3300 feet of the block During this time the contact l3 (which has a break period'oi 90 seconds) will obviously remain closed. The conditionof the system during he entire time that the train T is travellin through the block 5 to =thefcrossing 3 is as shown in Fig. .111. Immediately upon the passing of the train. Tbeyond the. highway 3, the system will reassume thencrmal. condition. shown in Fig. I as a consequence of there-establishment of the circuit through the relays Band 24, with attendant closing of the contacts l5 and I! and opening of the contact 25.

A slower train T passing in o the timing stretch and running between. 37 and 56 miles per hour, will, as before, cause momentary actuation of the track instrument 6 and closure of the circuit through the battery 2'! and the selection relay !2 wi h resultant closing of contact I4 as shown in Figs. II and IV. Also as before, the relay l2 will be kept energized through establishment of the circuit through the contactv l4. and the battery 26. In this case, however, at the end of four seconds, he train T will have traveled less than the 325 feet of the timing stretch 1. Thus the contact l5 (having a four second delay) will be closed before the train T enters the block. 5 (Fig. IV), as a consequence of which the circuit through the relay l8 and the battery 26 will be established, permitting contact 2| to close as soon as train enters block 5 which opens contact $5 of selection relay l2, de-energizing: relay i8.

The closing of contact 2| establishes a'circuit' through relay 24, so hat the latter is kept energized to hold the contact 25 open notwithstanding short circuiting of the relay 9 and opening of the contacts Ii) and H as the train T enters the block as shown in Fig. V. Opening of the contact 56 as shown in Fig. V does, however, result in the de-energizatio'n of the relay l2. and opening of the contact l5 to de-energize delay relay !8. Finally, the contact 2! (which has a delay period of fifteen seconds) openswhen the train has traveled 380 feet in the block 5, assuming a hypothetical speed of M. P. 1-1., to the position shown in Fig. VI with resultant de-energization of the relay 24 and closing of the contact 25 to establish he circuit through the battery 25 and the signal 4 which, under these con-- ditions, will operate for 41 seconds while the train is traversing the remaining length of the block 5.

Under the control of the contacts Wand H,

the relays-Miami 2th actuate-the. contacts 22:. and 23 in a manner similar to thatjust describedrtin connectiomwith contact .lifandxrelay min determining operating periods between'zd. and 67' sec: ondsandbetween 22 and .70 seconds of the signal. lafor train: speeds respectively between 22 and 3'1. and betweenx15 and ZZ-miles per hour as indicated onthe diagram; in. Fig.2 IX- The four curvesaofi the graph irr- IX show-at a glance, the operating periods of the: signal for. the four speed; ranges for which theillustrated system is; designated, the train speeds (M. B. H) being indicated :hcrizontally'and the time (inseco-nds') being indicated'vertically; The curve totheright shows;the-..-urrde1ayed: operation of he signal 4 under control of .contact H; theLQther curvesfrom-right. to .left show the-delayed operation vundertcontrotoilcontacts 21 .22 and.-.23r-respectively.

I. now turn to a consideration of the two modifications ofthe device. of Fig. Iv as shown Figs.

VII and-VIII, taking uprFig.v VII first... The: de-

vicein liig;.VIl is quite similar tothatdescribed aboveinFigr. I, except that-instead of. the track instrument 6 with its associated circuit in I, there is substituted a relay: 41- connectedin sedies withabattery 46 hroughzthe railsal and 2. of timing section I whichis insulated as'incli-v cated lat28sfrom the rest ofthe track. at points A; and, B. This-relay operates contactsv 48 and 49 in a. circuit formed by wires 50 and5l by which selection relay I2 'is connected inseries with bat: tery- 21. tacts 53:and..:l0.; Contacti531introducesl an additional step in thefunctioning; (ii-contact l3 alone in'Fig. Lthe purpose in :this case being to cut out the; operation :ofthe above "mentioned. circuit controlled by contacts 48 and 49 if relay 4'1 should fail to energize. and" 0136111 contacts. 4'8 and 49. This-cutoutwould then: allow-the signaln l o operate without the delay apparatus, until ,repairs were made or the device-reset.v

Ifirelay l;2is notde-energized within 90 seconds, the contactlitrwillopBn, it being of the slow break type. Contact I3= controls stick relay 52 which .iszenergized by; batteryi26 with which it is connected: inseries by. wires it and .34. 52 operates. contacts-.53; Hand which are normally. the closed position. Contact :53 controls the timing circuit associated with relay 41; stick contact 54-controls relay 52; and contact 55 controls the operationzof-the delay-contacts 2|, 22xand 23-. When relay 52 is de-energized all of the contacts53; 54 and55a falleopen andzthe entire delay phaseoithe device is cut out of operation. It will thus be seen that contact l3 will not-open unless :relay: l2- is energizedior a. period of seconds after a. train; hasv enteredv the timing stretch 1. 'Normally the relay 41 becomes reenergized when the train leaves timing stretch I, and. opens the circuit energizing relay l2, in an interval of time less than 90Qseconds. If aztrain Tistops on timingistretchland thus causes relay 52 to be de-energized before the: train enters the block 5-,. the relay 52 will be automatically reset fonthenexttrain as the block 5 Li'sentered' by the first train proceeding, the signal'4' being operated without delay 'for' the first train. This resetting is accomplished by a resetting contact5l in .wire 56 which shunts contact i=3 and-stick contact 54 inwire 34. This contact 51 is operated by relay 9 by thepresence of atrain in b-lock5. But if for some reason the relay [2 is energizedfor. more I than 9 Wire 54. includesnormally closed .con-,

Relay 7 secondssthe; delay phase will again be. completely cut out by the de-energization of relay 52under control of contact I3.

The above description will be clarified by the following description of the operation of the device. When a train T enters the timing section I, relay'4'l is shunted and contacts 48 and 49 are closed. This energizes selection relay l2 which operates exactly as described with reference to Fig. I above. To trace this piloting circuit: the current flows from battery 21 through wire 50 including contact 49, relay l2, and wire 5| including contacts Ill, 53 and 48, back to battery 21. As the train T enters block 5, relay 9 is shunted and de-energized, thus opening contact Ill which de-energizes relay l2 determining the selection of the delay relays l8, l9 and 20 as explained above in connection with Fig. I. The deenergization of relay 9, also closes contact 5'! which has no effect unless either of contacts 54 or l3 were open. But if the train had stopped in timing stretch l, relay l2 would then have continued in its energized state for 90 seconds when contact I3 would have opened, de-energizing relay 52 and cutting out the delay phase of the device. In this situation contact 51 is effective in resetting relay 52 for as the train proceeds to enter block 5, relay 9 is de-energized which closes contact 57 re-energizing stick relay 52 and resetting the delay phase for the following trains. However, if for some reason, relay 4'! does not become re-energized the delay phase will continue in operation even after the train T leaves block 5. This is also prevented by contact l3 which will again completely out out the delay phase after the relay [2 has been energized for seconds after the train leaves the block 5. The delay phase will not stay set unless functioning properly.

The device shown in Fig. VIII is similar to that of Fig. VII except that the timing circuit is made effective without the use of line wires and El between the timing stretch I and the apparatus at the crossing 3. Thisis accomplished by the use of a polarized track relay 10 which corresponds substantially in function to relay 9 in Figs. I and VII. The reversal of current in rails l and 2 to which relay lllisconnected is accomplished by a reversal circuit of a usual type composed of'wires 6|, B2, 63 and 64, contacts 48, 4.), battery H, and relay 4! operating contacts 48 and 49 by the presence of a train on timing stretch l. The reversal of current by the operation of relay 4'! through relay I0 opens and closes contact 12, energizing and de-energizing relay 12 from battery 26 according to the presence or absence of a train T in timing stretch 1. Relay l2 is connected in series with battery 26 by wires 14 and 55, wire 14 including contacts 12, I0 and 53. It is obvious that the operation is the same as the arrangement of Fig. I except that relay I2 is controlled by relay ill by a reversal of current instead of the track instrument 6 with its associated circuit in Fig. I or relay 4'! with its associated circuit in Fig. VII.

The operation is as follows? As a train enters timing stretch I, relay 4'! is de-energized allowing contacts 48 and 49 to drop and reverse the flow of current through rails l and 2 of block 5 and through relay 70. This reversal of current closes contact l2, energizing relay l2, which operates as in Figs. I and II. As the train enters block 5 on leaving timing stretch l, the relay I0 is shunted and contact I0 is opened, de-energizing relay l2 with the same eifect as in Figs. I and VII. It is to be noted that during reversal of current that the contacts 51, I0 and II are momentarily opened and closed without disturbing their usual operation, relay 24 having a slow break period to bridge the interval.

If, however, the train delays its progress in timing stretch l for a period of more than 90 seconds, contact l3 of relay l2 will open and deenergize relay 52. Contact 53 of relay 52 then opens to de-energize relay I2. When the train proceeds, the signal 4 will operate during the entire time the train occupies block 5, since shunting of relay 70 opens contact I l. The train in block 5 also closes contact 51 which resets stick relay 52 cutting in the delay phase again. But if for some reason relay I2 is improperly energized when the train T leaves block 5, the delay phase will again be cut out after a period of 90 seconds. The delay phase will not stay out in unless it is operating properly. Hence the signal 4 is assured a positive ope-ration, either with a delay period or without one. The simplicity and efliciency of these arrangements for the practice of my invention are obvious and the feature of positive operation of the signal either with or without delay greatly advances the public safety at grade crossings. The economy inherent in an arrangement of this type is not the least of its advantages.

While I have described the embodiments of my invention in detail, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that many variations may be made and such variations do not involve a departure from the spirit of my invention as'hereinafter claimed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal located at the intersection, initiating means for positively starting the operation of said signal as a train reaches a fixed point in advance of said crossing, an electrical delaying means for delaying the positive operation of said signal after a train passes said fixed point, said delaying means having a plurality of delay relays whose normally open contacts open after predetermined delay periods from de-energization of said delaying means, and electrical selection means for selecting, according to the speed of an approaching train, the delay relay to govern the delay period during which the signal shall not operate.

2. The invention of claim 1 characterized by the further fact that said selection means comprises a timing stretch of track in advance of said fixed point, a selection relay operated by the entrance of a train into said timing stretch, said selection relay having a plurality of delayed closing contacts of different closing periods controlling said delay relays, said contacts being connected to the delay relays in order beginning with the shortest delay period contact and the shortest delay relay, and a timing relay operated by the passing of a train over said fixed point from the timing stretch for de-energizing the selection relay and thereby selecting the delay relay last energized to govern the delay period before the signal begins to operate.

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway crossing, a highway crossing signal located at the intersection, an insulated operating block in said track extending from a point in advance of said crossing to a point beyond the crossing, a timing stretch in advance of said first point and adjacent thereto, an operating relay for operating said signal during the presence of a train in said operating section, a. selection relay energized by the entrance of a train into the timing stretch and de-energized by the entrance of the train into the operating, block on leaving the timing stretch-said selection relay having a plurality of delayed action contacts, and a plurality of delay relays governing the length of the period during which the signals operation will be delayed, said de layed action contacts being connected in the ascending order of their delay periods to the delay relays in the ascending order of the delay periods of the latter.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal located at the intersection, an insulated operating section in said track extending from a point in advance of the crossing to a point therebeyond, a timing stretch in advance of said first point and adjacent thereto, a normally energized operating relay which is de-energized by the presence of a train in said operating section, a normally energized signal which operates the signal when de-energized, said operating relay controlling said signal relay to operate the signal when a train is in the operating section, a selection relay having a plurality of delayed action contacts operated by the presence of a train in said timing stretch, and delay relays operated by said delay action contacts, each of said delay relays being connected to said signal relay to continue it in the energized condition thereby preventing the sounding of the signal until all of the delay relay contacts open.

5. The inventionof claim 3 characterized further by the facts that Said timing stretch is insulated from the adjacent track, that a relay is connected to said stretch to control the energization of said selection relay and that a delayed break contact operated by said selection relay cuts out the operation of said delayed action contacts after the selection relay has been energized for a predetermined period and deenergizes said selection relay.

6. The invention of claim 3 characterized further by the facts that said timing stretch is insulated from the adjacent track, that a relay is connected to said stretch to control the energization of said selection relay, that a stick relay cuts out the operation of said delayed action contacts after the selection relay has been energized for a predetermined period and de-energizes said selection relay, and that a contact operable by the presence of a train in said operating section resets said stick relay.

'7. In combination a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway crossing, a highway crossing signal located at the intersection, an insulated operating block, an insulated timing stretch in advance of said block, electrical delaying means for delaying the operation of said signal according to the speed of a train in traversing the timing stretch, a relay means connected to said timing stretch for controlling said delaying means, an electrical cut out means for completely disconnecting said delaying means after a predetermined period of operation, and an electrical means for re-setting said delaying means.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal located at the intersection, an insulating operating block extending from a point in advance of said crossing to a point in the vicinity thereof, a timing stretch in advance of said block, electrical means operating the, signal during the presence of a train in said block, an electrical delaying means for delaying the operation of vsaid signal according tothe speed of a train over said timing stretch, said delayingmeans being controlled electrically by a polarized relay controlled in turn by a current reversing circuit operated by a relay connected to said timing stretch. V H

v 9. The invention of claim 8 characterized further by the fact that said polarized relay is connectedto. said current reversing circuit through the rails of said operating block and; said reversing circuit is operated by a relay connected to said timing stretch in series with a source of power so that the presence of a train shunts said power source.

10. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal device located at the intersection, initiating means for starting the operation of said signal as a train reaches a fixed point in advance of said crossing, electrical delaying means for'delaying the operation of said signal aftera train passes said fixed point, said delaying means being of the delay relay type and operating to delay the operation of said signal only if energized whereby a failure of the delaying means will not affect the operation of the signal, and automatic cut oil means for terminating the operation of the delaying means at the end of a predetermined period and restoring the delaying means to its normal condition for future operation.

11. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal device located at the intersection, initiating means for starting the operation of said signal as a train reaches a fixed point in advance of said crossing, electrical delaying means for delaying the operation of said signal after a train passes said fixed point, said delaying means being of the delay relay type and operating to delay the operation of said signal only if energized and then deenergized, and an automatic cut off means which terminates the operation of the delaying means at the end of a predetermined period restores the delaying means to its normal condition for future operation.

12. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal device located at the intersection, initiating means for starting the operation of said signal as a train reaches a fixed point in advance of said crossing, electrical delaying means for delaying the operation of said signal after the train passes said fixed point, said delaying means being of the delay relay type and operating to delay the operation of the signal only if energized and then deenergized, and an electrical selection means which determines the period of operation of said delaying means according to the speed of the train approaching said fixed point.

13. In combination, a stretch of railway track intersected by a highway, a highway crossing signal device located at the intersection, initiating,

means for positively starting the operation of said signal as a train reaches a fixed point in advance of said crossing, electrical delaying means for delaying the positive operation of said signal after a train passes said fixed point, said delaying means having a plurality of delay relays whose normally open contacts open after predetermined delay periods from deenergization of said delaying means, electrical selection means for selecting according to the speed of an approaching train the delay relay to govern the delay period during which the signal shall not operate; said selection means comprising a timing stretch of track in advance of said fixed point and a selection relay operated by the entrance of a train into said timing stretch and having a plurality of delayed closing contacts of difierent closing periods for selectively controlling said delay relays with said contacts connected to the delay relays in order beginning with the shortest delay period contact and the shortest delay relay; a timing relay operated by the passing of a train over said fixed 10 point from the timing stretch for deeneragizing the selection relay to select the delay relay last energized to govern the delay period before the signal begins to operate, and means including a cut off contact operative to interrupt the operation of the selection relay after a predetermined period and to at once restore said delaying means to its normal condition in preparation for further operation.

HARVEY A. HAINES. 

